Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Pediatric Acute Care Nurses

• Published in: Journal of pediatric nursing Vol. 27; no. 4; pp. 357 - 365
• Main Authors: Czaja, Angela S., Moss, Marc, Mealer, Meredith
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.08.2012; W.B. Saunders Company/JNL
• Subjects: Acute care; Acute services; Adult; Anxiety - diagnosis; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety-Depression; Burnout, Professional - diagnosis; Burnout, Professional - epidemiology; Child; Comorbidity; Critical Care - psychology; Depression - diagnosis; Depression - epidemiology; Female; Hospital Units; Hospitals, Pediatric; Humans; Male; Medical diagnosis; Mental health; Middle Aged; Nurses; Nursing Methodology Research; Nursing Staff, Hospital - psychology; Nursing Staff, Hospital - statistics & numerical data; Paediatrics; Pediatric Nursing; Pediatrics; Post traumatic stress disorder; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Risk Assessment; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; Symptoms; Traumatic stress; Young Adult; United States > US; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Traumatic stress; Acute care; Mental health
• ISSN: 0882-5963; 1532-8449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2011.04.024

In their work, pediatric acute care nurses may encounter traumatic events and be at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This survey-based study examines the potential diagnosis of PTSD among nurses at a tertiary children's hospital with a Level 1 trauma center. Twenty-one percent of respondents had strong PTSD symptoms without significant difference between units. Nurses with potential PTSD had more comorbid symptoms of anxiety, depression, and burnout and were more often considering a career change. Furthermore, symptoms affected not only their work but also their personal lives. Future research should focus upon identifying pediatric nurses with PTSD to provide therapeutic interventions and reducing high-risk events and their potential impact.